China Frees Women Activists On Bail After A Month Of Detainment

The five women had been involved in planning a protest of sexual harassment on public transportation.

After a month of detention, Chinese authorities released five feminist activists on bail.

五位都该自由:一个不少!自由五位女权姐妹。武嵘嵘、李亭亭,与大兔、王曼、韦亭亭一道回家。

Wei Tingting, 26; Wang Man, 32; Zheng Churan, 25; Li Tingting, 25; and Wu Rongrong, 30, still face criminal charges, according to Chinese Human Rights Defenders.

All 5 detained feminists seem to've been sent home on bail awaiting for trial: Still remain "criminal suspects." https://t.co/qQNMI5bmer

A campaign to #FreeTheFive had spread around China and the world online after the women were taken into custody in March.

Critics of the detainment included Hillary Clinton, Secretary of State John Kerry, and Vice President Joe Biden.

The women were arrested with other activists involved in planning rallies against sexual harassment on public transportation to coincide with International Women's Day on March 9.

Most of those who were arrested were later released, but the five women remained in custody, even though their families and colleagues said they had done nothing wrong. Authorities also investigated their previous protest work against domestic violence and to create more public toilets.

Though they had been allowed to return to their families, they will be monitored for a year and could be detained again as police investigation continues, the New York Times reported.

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